Classroom Slice of Life

5+ weeks ago the chatting began of “do you think we can offer the writing challenge to 4th and 5th graders?”

3 weeks, with the help of colleagues, the logistics of this challenge began.

1 week ago the challenge started.

Today I take a moment to sit back and watch. A good majority of the students who signed up are still coming to the library to write. They are commenting on other students writing verbally. They are getting ideas from shells and art cards. From their home lives and school lives. From the world around them.

As our time comes to a close for this writing session I ask “What do you guys think? What’s been working? What’s been hard?”

• “I’ve written mostly poems because they are short and manageable”
• “Some days I have so many ideas (like today and rehearsing for the play) and other days I’ve got nothing.”
• “Wait, but when I had no ideas… I just wrote about having no idea. That was fun!”
• “I’ve enjoyed coming to the library in the morning for a different place to get comfy and write.”
• “It’s hard to publish a whole piece in a day!”
• “I really like reading other people’s writing.”

This feedback was pouring out of them. I ended with some feedback of my own: “You all took on a challenge. Some wanted to write everyday, others only during the week. And others something even different. You are all trying to write more than you usually do. You are being creative in your writing! What has impressed me the most is that you are showing up and writing! I can’t wait to read even more!”